ZIMMERMAN, Minn., Jan. 31 (UPI) -- The operator of a horse-rescue organization in Minnesota said the number of neglected horses needing care has gone up dramatically as the economy slows.

Drew Fitzpatrick is now caring for 90 horses at the Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation in Zimmerman. She told the St. Paul Pioneer-Press Thursday the economic downturn has been tough on horses bought when times were good.

Wade Hanson of the Humane Society said calls about neglected horses are running at 15 a month, while about 15 horses are dying needlessly a year. Both neglect cases and deaths have quadrupled, the report said. Hanson said many newly rich people bought spreads in the country and added horses without knowing much about them. "They thought they were going to be ranchers," he said.

"They are so clueless. I have talked to people who didn't think horses needed water in the wintertime, because they would just eat snow."

Some of the horse owners put stallions and mares in the same field, not realizing that would lead to more horses.

Wade Hanson of the Humane Society said calls about neglected horses are running at 15 a month, while about 15 horses are dying needlessly a year. Both neglect cases and deaths have quadrupled, the report said. Hanson said many newly rich people bought spreads in the country and added horses without knowing much about them. "They thought they were going to be ranchers," he said.

Absolute tripe. I know a guy who runs a horse ranch. The reason that people are abandoning them is a direct result of a recently passed bill that prohibits the slaughter of horses for meat in the United States. Formerly when a horse outlived it's usefulness you could sell it for slaughter where the meat would be sent overseas or possibly used domestically. This meant that horse breeders could get a certain amount of income from selling their horses for slaughter when they had no other use.

The ranchers now have a little way to recoup the cost of upkeep for horses that aren't worth anything otherwise. That means they're either forced to keep pouring money into maintaining horses, ship them for slaughter to Canada or Mexico where it's legal but where shipping costs almost outweigh profit or abandon them.

Well, it’s like I tell most libs (which causes them to grit their teeth) Prosperity is the key to our problems.

Prosperous nations can afford to take care of animals, the environment, the disabled, the old folk. Whack away at prosperity, you end up actually wrecking your efforts to take care of the less fortunate.

I’m convinced the libs do it purposely. Wreck the economy by interfering and taxing “to help the children”, and suddenly everything is worse and everyone needs more help. Then the government gallops to the rescue.

19
posted on 01/31/2008 2:50:58 PM PST
by I still care
("Remember... for it is the doom of men that they forget" - Merlin, from Excalibur)

I have horses and I have a hard time keeping them from getting too fat but the guy behind me is starving his. I can’t stand to watch it, but I don’t want the government to get involved. I just have to keep it to myself in that regard. I have talked to him about it.

The Law of Unintended Consequences strikes again. And the hand-wringers who make these laws never for a moment take into account their responsibility for the increased suffering and misery they create.

The article fails to mention that hay and feed prices have benn driven up in large part by the rush to produce ethanol from corn. Those hay producers who haven’t gone over to corn production are charging far more per ton than they used to. Here in northern Idaho, we’re looking at an average of $200/ton for local grass hay. We can get a better deal by driving 100-150 miles or so to the Columbia Basin hay producers and by loading our own once we get there.

In another triumph of liberalism, the local Rathdrum Prairie hay producers have mostly given up and sold out owing to two things - the real estate boom and the onging campaign against field burning. People who farmed here for generations were ruthlessly assaulted by new move-ins who complained about the annual field-burning that rid the fields of noxious weeds and pests and prepared the soild for the next hay crop. So they pressed for and got burn bans passed and severe restrictions where they couldn’t get an outright ban.

The article does make a good point, though. New-rich city- bred morons are so clueless when it comes to country living, much less sound animal husbandry. Style over substance - so typicaly lib. And these poor animals suffer for it while their owners blame capitalism and George Bush.

29
posted on 01/31/2008 3:11:08 PM PST
by Noumenon
(The only thing that prevents liberals from loading us all into cattle cars is the power to do it)

This was as predicted if the anti-slaughter bill became law. As with similar do gooder laws passed by congress, they will never be rescinded even if it is shown all of the collateral damage they cause.

All horse processing facilities in the US are already closed. They have been since early summer 2007. Unfortunately this is causing severe overpopulation of herds and depressed horse prices. Here in Kentucky many horses at auction cant be sold because it cost more to feed them than they are now worth. If you are feeling charitable you can buy lots of horses for five and ten dollars each. Most people see beautiful horses running in well manicured fields of plush grasses. The type of scene you often see here in Kentucky. Those well intentioned folks equate this with the senseless slaughter of beautiful animals. Horses that are in good health and those that have been properly cared for are not sent to slaughter. The horses which are slaughtered in almost all cases are very old, or in very poor health, and near death. I do not wish to see any animal put down inhumanely but many do need to be put down. In the coalfields of Eastern Kentucky where mining lands have been reclaimed with lush grasses some horses are thriving. But a lot of these horses have just been dropped off here. Many are old and also in poor health. Making these areas into dying fields where animals die a slow and sometimes painful death. If horses are allowed to be put down humanely in a properly run slaughterhouse the carcasses can be disposed of properly. This is necessary to protect drinking water supplies and other livestock. And horse prices could return to normal levels making most horses too valuable for slaughter. Most people who put horses down don’t do it because they hate horses most do it because they hate to see them suffer.

One can buy a horse at auction in Michigan for $40, which is what it costs to buy two bales of Michigan-grown hay in Florida.

Hay that is available is selling for about $6 a bale, more than double the price of a year ago. Supplies need to stretch until at least May or June, said Jan Brinn, of the Michigan State University Extension Office in Allegan County.

“They need a constant flow all day long, and when they don’t have that flow, bad things start happening,” said James Connell, Allegan veterinarian and horse owner.

It’s virtually impossible to get a deduction for having horses. That “loophole” was closed years ago, under Clinton, and resulted in the closing of many horse farms here in Florida (a big ranching and horse racing state).

That’s true. Horses live a long time, especially if they don’t have to work (like most modern horses), and they would often be better put down than allowed to get decrepit, arthritic - and turn into candidates for shipment to a Mexican slaughterhouse.

Argh. Some people are not in the housing market and want to afford a house someday without getting a 100-year interest-only loan to pay for it. For people like me, a housing return to mean is excellent news. Increasing the price of a 100 year old house by 400% in five years does not add to the economy.

47
posted on 01/31/2008 4:12:08 PM PST
by dan1123
(You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. --Jesus)

45 posts and unless I missed it everyone is overlooking a simple solution. Create a new department under US Agriculture to oversee the care and feeding of unwanted horses in all 50 states and territories. These noble and magnificent beasts deserve to be cared for and surely everyone here can spare a few bucks a year of their tax money to see to it there’s enough grass to eat and vet care.

There are a lot of houses around here with horses and it is rare to never to see anybody doing anything with their horses. Usually two horses and an acre or two. Most have had their horses for years, so maybe they are waiting for the farm deduction to come around again, horses having a lifetime greater than a Presidential term.

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